In 1926, a young entrepreneur in Elgin, Ill., understood how important transportation would be to future development in the U.S. W.R. “Bob” Meadows realized that seasonal conditions wreaked havoc on the expansion and contraction of concrete, and he saw an opportunity to control these forces by developing asphalt and wood fiber expansion joints.

The adhesives and sealants industry has a continuing need to close the gap between formulators in the R&D laboratory and end users in the manufacturing and applications environment.

Sustainability initiatives are becoming an expectation across all industries, especially construction. In fact, homebuilders report that, by 2020, more than 60% of their projects will incorporate green building materials.

U.S. demand for pressure-sensitive tapes is projected to increase 5.3% yearly to $9.3 billion in 2019. Growth will reportedly reflect continued economic expansion and the further development of innovative applications for specialty tapes, which tend to be higher performing, value-added products.

Comprehensive initiatives designed to preserve and improve the environment are included in virtually all manufacturers’ corporate communications. According to the Sheldon Group, 25% of major brand owners have implemented scorecards to rate suppliers and products on environmental impact, and 30-40% more are being developed.